


Loving is Easy| Tyrus

by rushuarush



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Cute, Fluff, M/M, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-14 11:23:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16911978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rushuarush/pseuds/rushuarush
Summary: it’s the easiest thing in the world to fall in love with someone, but it’s the hardest thing to tell them that.





	1. Loving is Easy

Loving is easy,  
you had me fucked up,  
it used to be so hard to see,  
Loving is easy,  
everything's perfect,  
please don't change a single little thing for me

 

~~~~~~~~~  
"Cyrus honey, it's time to get up now"

Cyrus internally groaned, turning onto his side and pulling the covers over his head. He refused to leave the warmth of his bed, the urge to slip back into the depths of slumber too strong for him not to turn down. He swore he was meant to be going back to school on Tuesday, otherwise he wouldn't have stayed up till 3am watching greys anatomy.   
"Now, Cyrus"  
He yawned loudly, outstretching his arms and sitting up. His eyes fluttered open, it taking a moment for them to adjust to the light flooding through his blinds. For a moment he smiled to himself, thinking about how he would get to see all of his friends again, but it was quickly replaced with worry when it dawned on him he hadn't even picked an outfit out yet. Did he really forget that school came back from summer tOdAy? That wasn't like him at all. He dragged his feet on over to the mirror, groaning when he saw the dark circles under his eyes. He was going to have to chug down a lot of coffee to get him through the day. 

Eventually, he managed to make it down the stairs and to the kitchen, the smell of waffles perking him up a bit.

"Someone stayed up a bit late I see", his mother looked up from her morning newspaper, staring at him sternly.

"I swear we were supposed to be going back tomorrow, otherwise I would've gone to sleep earlier", he truthfully replied.

"You are", she said with a grin.

"huh?", he asked, genuinely confused.

"You're right. You're not going back until tomorrow."

"Then why on earth did you get me up so early?"

"To get you back into the swing of things. You haven't been up this early in two months."

I guess that makes sense, he thought to himself .

"Does this mean I can go back up to my room?"

"Only after you've eaten your waffle."

As soon as he'd finished his breakfast, he scurried back up to his room, collapsing on his bed. He glanced at his clock. It read 7:15am. No one is gonna be up at this time, he thought. That's when TJ popped into his head, just the thought of him bringing a slight blush to his cheeks. Cyrus didn't want to admit it, but he was falling for the jock, and very quickly indeed. The two had an interesting bond, both bringing out sides of eachother that no one else had ever seen before. Cyrus recognised the fact that TJ made him feel on top of the world whenever he was with him, but he wasn't really sure why. He knew though that it wasn't a crush, for he'd had a crush on jonah and that had felt different. But it was definitely something, he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. 

Taking a chance, he decided to text TJ, though having no expectations of a reply any time soon. 

It read:  
hey tj, are you doing anything rn?

He didn't want to sound needy, so decided it was best to only send one text. As he was about to put his phone down he got a notification, his heart racing a little as he saw that it was from TJ. Wow that was quick, he thought.

It read:  
hey tj, are you doing anything rn?

no not rlly  
why?

He sat there for a moment, thinking of how to reply. Seriously cyrus, you're over complicating everything. For some reason, Cyrus always wanted to do everything right for TJ. He always felt this slight nervousness when around him.

hey tj, are you doing anything rn?

no not rlly  
why?

do you maybe wanna meet up?

well, I would   
but I have to stay home   
to look after my dog 

Cyrus ' heart dropped at this.

but ig you can come round?  
if you want 

Seeing this made his heart start racing again, the thought of actually stepping foot in TJ's house both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. But of course, he wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. 

but ig you can come round?  
if you want 

yeah sure!  
what's your address? 

23 Merlyn Road  
you can also find me on snap maps 

okay cool  
so what time? 

anytime   
you can come now   
it's like a 15 min walk from yours 

coolio!  
I'll see you in a bit 🤪

K👌🏻

Cyrus couldn't believe it, he was actually going to TJ Kippen's. Without hesitating, he threw on some pants, grabbed a sweater, and hurried downstairs. His mum was still sat in the kitchen drinking her coffee.

"Hey mom, is it alright if I go round to my friend's house?"

"Yeah sure, is it Andi's?"

"No mom. It's TJ actually, he's a new friend". A slight blush appeared on his face as he said this, him nervously twiddling with his thumbs.

His mum definitely noticed this. After all, she was a therapist. 

"That's nice. Well have fun, and remember to keep in touch."

"I will!", Cyrus replied as he scurried towards the front door. He wanted to get away before any questions were asked. 

A slight chill hit his cheeks as he stepped out the front door. It was only the beginning of September, so it was too cold for shirts, but too hot for coats. The roads were almost empty as he navigated through the streets, the lack of people giving a slightly eerie feel to the morning. He held his phone in his hands, using google maps to make sure he was going in the right direction. He might've lived in this area for his entire life, but that didn't mean he'd ever ventured out anywhere. In fact, he barely recognised the streets as he got closer to TJ's house. 

The closer he got, the faster his heart pumped, and the more his hands became clammy. He was that nervous that he actually felt sick to the stomach, and he really didn't know why. After all, it's only TJ. 

After what seemed like an hour of walking Cyrus finally made it to TJ's street. However, he noticed that none of the houses had numbers on them, and so he started aimlessly wandering down the street, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He decided he'd have to text TJ to come out. 

hey ermm  
I kinda can't find your house  
please could you come outside? 

Meanwhile, TJ was slumped across his couch, hair messy and eyes droopy. He knew that Cyrus was coming round at some point, but he hadn't planned for it to be straightaway, eventhough he'd told Cyrus that was fine. All in all, TJ wasn't the best at sticking to a plan, and often deviated due to his impulsive mindset. So when he received that text from Cyrus, it took him by surprise indeed. 

Dragging himself off of the couch, he walked over to his living room window, scanning the streets and looking for the raven haired boy. And there he saw him, looking around in confusion about two houses down. Cute, he thought. He chuckled to himself at the sight of Cyrus' llama sweater, a grin on his face as he walked over to the front door. Opening it, he stepped outside, not bothering to put any shoes on as he had on some socks. 

"Underdog, over here!", he hollered, Cyrus immediately looking over towards him with a bright smile on his face. 

He couldn't wait to tell Cyrus the good news he'd been itching to tell him.

"Oh my, where's TJ gone? There isn't one bit of gel in sight", Cyrus gasped as he came face to face with TJ. 

"Haha", he chuckled. "I know it looks bad, but I didn't think you were coming round so soon."

"Actually, I think it looks better", Cyrus admitted, jokingly brushing his hands through TJ's hair. 

TJ ruffled Cyrus' hair back, slinging his arm around his shoulder as they walked inside. TJ didn't really understand the meaning of personal space, and lucky for him, Cyrus didn't mind one bit. 

"How are you doing ma man?", TJ asked as they both flopped onto the couch. 

"I'm good. Kinda shocked that I'm actually in your house", Cyrus replied, eyes wandering around the place, before landing on a golden coloured dog curled up in the corner.

"Aww, is that the dog you have to stay to look after. What's his or her name?", Cyrus squealed whilst staring at the dog with heart eyes. 

"He's called Parker. He's getting on quite a bit now, so he can't be left alone", TJ said with slight sadness. 

"Oh I'm sorry. Well he's gorgeous."

Cyrus' eyes flickered back up to TJ's, the two just staring at each other for a moment. In fact, for a split second then Cyrus had this slight urge to just grab his hand, but as soon as it came it went away. 

"It's a nice place you got here. Very erm, very neat." Cyrus exclaimed, scanning the walls looking for any sign of family photos, or homely aspects. 

"Haha", TJ chuckled, "Trust me I know this place isn't very inviting. It's usually just me, sometimes my aunty."

"Oh", Cyrus frowned, "How come?"

"My parents are 'workaholics" he quoted with his fingers. "We're all good though. Don't worry I'm not neglected or anything. They just both love their jobs I guess."

Cyrus could see a tinge of sadness in his eyes, his heart aching at the sight.

"Yeah I get that, my parents are the same, except they work at home."

"Cool."

"Yep", Cyrus whispered, putting emphasis on the 'p'. 

"My aunty comes round a lot. She's like a second mom", TJ added, sitting upright on the couch.

"Aw that's nice. I bet she's lovely", Cyrus smiled. "Do you have any pictures?"

"I have a couple on my phone", TJ replied, reaching into his pocket. 

Turning it on, he pulled up a picture of him and his aunty when he was about 10 years old. They were curled up in blankets on a couch, both holding tubs of ice cream. TJ had some chocolate sauce dripping down his chin.

"Awww, little TJ was so cute", Cyrus teased in a baby voice. 

"I know right. I was best known for getting food everywhere. Thank god I grew out of that phase", TJ laughed. 

"What do you guys usually do nowadays?", Cyrus asked, intrigued. 

A small smile appeared on TJ's face, thinking about all the memories they'd made together. "Well, we do always do one thing."

"Oooo and that is?", Cyrus chirped.

"Karaoke."

"God I lOve lOve loveeee karaoke", Cyrus jumped up, placing his hands on his chest.

And then it dawned on him, "Wait, you, TJ Kippen, like to sing?!"

TJ stood up as well, placing both of his hands on Cyrus' shoulders. 

"Don't be so surprised muffin, I'm a master at karaoke", he grinned. 

Cyrus smiled back, his eyes gleaming with joy. 

"Come on, let's do some!", Cyrus squealed, tugging on TJ's hand.

"Hmm. Only if we can start with Beauty and the Beast. It's the best duo song out there", TJ replied, Cyrus still latched onto his arm. 

"Can it be the Ariana and John Legend version?", Cyrus pleaded, his eyes lighting up even more. He couldn't believe TJ had picked one of his all time favourite songs. 

"Sure thing underdog", TJ smirked, leading Cyrus into the kitchen. 

TJ walked over to the dock station, putting his phone on it and going onto YouTube.

"Wait", Cyrus said from behind, "Who's gonna be who?"

TJ chuckled silently to himself.

"I don't mind muffin, you be whoever you want."

Cyrus knew exactly who he wanted to be. 

"In that case then, can I be Belle?", Cyrus replied, whispering the last part.

TJ turned around at this, a big grin plastered across his face.

"Of course you can, my princess."

This made Cyrus go a deep shade of red, his heart fluttering in his chest. TJ pressed play on his phone, slowly walking over to Cyrus as the intro played. They both shuffled on their feet, slightly nervous as they'd never heard the other sing before. 

"Tale as old as time", Cyrus began quietly. 

TJ melted at the sound of Cyrus' sweet and gentle voice, his smile growing bigger as Cyrus became more confident. Without thinking, TJ grabbed both of Cyrus' hands, interlocking their fingers as the chorus neared. He noticed how soft the skin was. Cyrus probably moisturises everyday, he thought. 

When it came to TJ's part, Cyrus was quite taken aback at how deep and manly his voice was, the blush returning for a moment. It was then that TJ took one of Cyrus' hands and twirled him around, gently placing his hand on the smaller boy's back when he almost toppled over. Cyrus giggled, taking a step towards TJ as the duet part neared. 

As soon as the chorus arrived, the two started belting out the words, both not caring how pitchy they might've sounded. With hands interlocked, they both started spinning around, getting faster and faster. But of course, due to the fact the floor was slippy, it meant that soon enough then Cyrus ended up slipping and landing butt first onto the floor. This ended up with TJ being dragged down too, him almost landing directly on top of Cyrus. 

The two burst out into uncontrollable fits of laughter, both out of breath and faces red. By the time they'd calmed down, the song had finished, and the quietness had returned. Cyrus turned on his side to look at TJ, their faces only a few centimetres apart. He hadn't noticed before, but TJ had a few faint freckles dotted around his nose. Cute, he thought. If he wanted to, he could just reach out and poke his nose, but he wasn't sure whether TJ would be comfortable with that. 

"What are you staring at muffin?", TJ laughed.

"Just your freckles. They're cute." 

"Huh", TJ blushed, "I haven't heard that one before."

For a split second TJ forgot about the news he had to tell Cyrus, but he soon remembered and he now couldn't wait to get it out.

"So erm, I actually have something I need to tell you", TJ gulped, looking down at the floor. 

Slight concern filled Cyrus' eyes.

"You can tell me anything", he said reassuringly.

"Well basically, I really like this person."

"Yeah", Cyrus said, his eyes widening.

"And I was really scared that they wouldn't like me back."

"Yeah", Cyrus' voice raised slightly. Is he talking about me??

"So, I asked them out. And they said yes. So now I have a girlfriend, and man she's amazing", TJ grinned, looking up, expecting to see an excited Cyrus. 

"Oh", Cyrus whispered. This horrible feeling of disappointment washed over him, and he had no idea why. It's how he felt when he saw Jonah and Andi, but much worse. He felt, betrayed somehow, like he was going to burst into tears.Why aren't I happy for TJ?, he thought. 

"Who is it?", Cyrus gulped, trying to hold back the tears. 

"It erm Mia, you know, we share English with her."

Cyrus knew exactly who he meant. Mia was undeniably gorgeous. Of course TJ would like someone like her.

"Ah yes. I know who you mean. She's really pretty-

"Cyrus, is something wrong?", TJ asked, placing his hand on the smaller boy's shoulder.

"No, of course not. I'm fine", Cyrus replied, shrugging off TJ's hand. He stood up, the tears welling up. 

"I'd erm, I'd better go", he said, shuffling about on his feet. 

"Oh, okay", TJ replied with sadness. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I've just got a lot of homework that's all. I'll see you tomorrow at school?", Cyrus asked, walking on over to the door, TJ following. 

"Uh yeah. You can meet Mia properly."

"Yeah, sure."

Awkward silence filled the room. 

"Well, bye", Cyrus waved, turning to push down the door handle.

"Hug?", TJ said, making Cyrus turn around. 

No matter how much he wanted to get away from TJ, he couldn't not accept an offer of a hug. Stepping on his tip toes, he wrapped his arms around TJ's neck, TJ then pulling him closer. Cyrus' heart started beating faster, and butterflies filled his stomach. 

And then it dawned on him. The constant desire to be with TJ, and the urges to hold his hand. The pain he felt when TJ said he was with someone, the happiness he felt when they were doing karaoke. This wasn't just a crush- Cyrus Goodman was in love with TJ Kippen.   
~~~~~~

Hey guyssss. I really hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this fanfic. You might already be able to tell, but I'm going with a theme of Rex Orange County, as I love them to bits. I hope to upload fairly regularly, and imma aim for my chapters to be at least 1000 words. But yeah, thanks for reading!! <3


	2. Bestfriend

I could've made you mine,  
but no it wasn't meant to be, and see, I wasn't made for you and you weren't made for me,  
though it seemed so easy 

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
As soon as Cyrus walked through the front door he went straight up to his room and dove under the covers. He knew his mum was going to ask questions about what had happened at some point, but at that moment in time all he wanted to do was just be alone. How could he have been so stupid, thinking that TJ was talking about him? He hated how his feelings always got in the way of everything. And now he felt guilty for just leaving TJ so suddenly, and not at least trying to be happy for him. All in all, Cyrus wished he could just disappear from the face of the earth. 

After a while of just laying there, the tears threatening to fall at any moment, his mind finally went blank. Everything became slow and quiet, the world seemingly coming to a halt as he stared at the ceiling above. This is often what happened to Cyrus when everything became too much. He just switched off, disassociating himself from everything, and residing in his head. It was calm and peaceful, safe. It was a way of coping with his anxiety, and it usually did the trick. 

Not before long, tiredness overcame him, and he drifted back off to sleep.   
~~~~~~~~~~~

TJ was confused. He didn't understand why Cyrus left in such a hurry, especially since they were having such a good time. In fact, he was kind of hoping that after telling Cyrus about Mia, then it meant Cyrus might have felt more comfortable opening up about the person he liked as well. He thought it would've been a good way to develop their friendship. But he'd guessed wrong. 

The house felt oddly empty without Cyrus, eventhough TJ was used to it being that way. As he went back into the kitchen to get his phone, he missed his friend. He missed dancing and singing with him, and making jokes with him. The boy had only been gone a couple minutes, and yet it had already put a big dampener on TJ's mood. 

Checking his phone, he saw that he had a text message from Mia, and his smile returned. He really did like this girl, and was genuinely surprised when she said she liked him back. She was well known for being a player, but TJ didn't think much about it- he was just happy he'd got himself a girlfriend. 

It read:

hey bby xxx

The nickname 'bby' made him feel strange. He'd never been called that before. Honestly, he wasn't sure that he liked it, but if that's what Mia wanted to call him, then he'd let her. 

hey, how are u? 

I need you to get me something xxx

okay what is it? 

a new mascara  
I'm going out with the girls tonight xxx

ofc, which kind? 

just the best kind   
love you bby <3 

love u 2

Just the best kind?? What on earth did that mean? Heading up the stairs, he went into his room looking around for some cash. He swore he had left his wallet in his bedside drawer. Cursing himself and his inability to stay organised, he resorted to taking twenty bucks from the 'off-limits draw' where his parents kept emergency cash. After all, it was kinda urgent, and he'd give it back... eventually. The only times TJ ever goes in his parents room is when he absolutely has to. He just hates how bare and somber it is, how it's always cold and dark. When he was younger, he spent a lot of time in this room, jumping up and down on the bed and watching tv at night time. It was the family room. But then it all changed, and it just became a room with a bed in it. 

Sighing, he stuffed the money in his pocket and walked out, closing the door behind him. He headed on over to the bathroom, locking the door behind him, eventhough no one else was in the house. That was a strange habit of TJ's. He'd always act as though someone else was around, as though he wasn't alone. 

He stared at his reflection in the mirror, remembering the comment Cyrus made about his freckles and how they were cute. He loved how Cyrus made random remarks like that; it just made him all the more adorable. Reaching for his hair gel, he squirted some on to his hand, bringing it up to his hair. But just as he was about to put some on, he remembered the other comment Cyrus had made, about how his hair looked better natural. Did it really? He frowned, conflicted at what he should do. No one had ever paid so much attention to his looks before, and then Cyrus comes along and makes him rethink everything. I'll keep it natural, just for Cyrus, he thought.

 

TJ was about to walk out the front door, but it then dawned on him that he didn't actually know where he was heading. He knew he was looking for a place that sold mascara, but did that mean going to your average supermarket and going to the beauty section, or going to an actual makeup store? Grabbing his phone, he went on to google and searched for nearby makeup stores. The nearest one was a 30 minute walk. Letting out a groan, he threw open the front door and started to make his way to the store. I guess this is what being a boyfriend means, he thought. 

When he opened the door to the store, it made a loud charm, and everyone stopped to look at him. The shop assistants gave him a slightly odd look, probably because he was a fourteen year old boy coming into a high end makeup shop on his own. He lowered his head, scurrying off into one of the aisles to avoid anymore attention. 

Scanning the shelves, he became a bit lost. Everything just looked the same to him- all the packaging and the brands. Even when he finally managed to find the mascara section he was lost for words at the amount of choice. There were so many different shades and brush choices. Why could anyone possibly need this many different brushes?

All TJ knew is that he was buying the best kind, but how he was supposed to find it he had no idea. Not knowing what to do, he decided that he'd have to ask for help. So he turned to the best advice giver he knew, Cyrus.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cyrus was awoken by a muffled ringing noise coming from somewhere nearby. Eyes half closed, he searched under the covers, finding his phone under a pillow and bringing it to his face. Great, it's TJ. Although reluctant, he accepted the call and brung his phone to his ear. 

"Hello?", he croaked, his voice raspy.

"Cyrus, hi. Were you asleep? Sorry if I wo-

"No TJ, it's fine", Cyrus interrupted,"what's wrong?"

"Well, I'mkindofinamakeupshoplookingforthebestkindofmascarabutidontknowwhichonetoget", TJ rambled, his voice panicky. Cyrus sat up at this, his mind more focused now he knew TJ was anxious.

"Woah woah, slow down", he reassured, "just breathe, it's fine."

"O-Okay. So, I'm in this fancy makeup store looking for the best kind of mascara for Mia, but there are so many to choose from I don't know which one to get."

"Oh. Why are you the one getting mascara for her?"

"I dunno. She asked me to get some. She's going out with some friends tonight or something like that."

"Okay, erm. I don't know too much about this kind of stuff, but I say go for the middle of the range. Nothing too fancy, but nothing too cheap."

"Are you sure she'll like that?"

"Honestly I'm not sure TJ. I'm not her boyfriend, you are", Cyrus truthfully replied, the jealously bubbling inside him. 

"Oh yeah, sorry. I'm just not so good at this kind of stuff."

"Don't worry too much. I'm sure she'll love whatever you get her."

"Okay, thanks. Sorry for interrupting your nap", TJ chuckled.

"It's fine, I needed waking up anyway."

"Well, I gotta go, I'll talk to you later."

"Okey dokey, bye."

"Bye underdog."

Chucking his phone onto the other side of the bed, he flopped onto his back, rubbing his eyes as he could feel a slight headache coming on. Why did TJ have to ring him specifically? Surely he has lots of other girl 'friends' he could ask for help?

Cyrus sniggered, laughing at how petty he was being. If this is what being in love felt like, he hated it.   
~~~~~~~~~~~  
The next morning was surprisingly chillier than the previous one, everyone shivering slightly as they huddled outside in groups, waiting for the bell to ring. The GHC plus Jonah were no exception, Andi even bringing along a heat containing mug filled with lemon tea. 

"So, what did you guys end up doing yesterday?", Jonah asked, his smile just as bright as usual.

"Nothing much, just hung out in AndiShack."

"Me either", Buffy added. 

"What about you Cy-guy?"

Cyrus meanwhile was way too preoccupied to have listened to any of the conversation, for his full attention was on the couple just ahead of him. TJ had his arm around Mia, just like he does sometimes with Cyrus, but he didn't  exactly look happy. Mia wasn't really paying any attention to him, but just texting on her phone instead. How rude, he thought. She finally looked up at him to say something, before kissing him on the cheek and walking away. TJ just stood there, lips pressed together. 

"Cyrus-

"Sorry, I've got to go", he interrupted, not even giving his friends a second glance as he walked over towards TJ. 

"Hey, you okay?", Cyrus asked, resting his hand on TJ's shoulder.

"Eh yeah, why wouldn't I be?" His voice sounded strained; Cyrus wasn't convinced. 

"Did erm, did Mia like the mascara?"

"No, I got her the wrong one. She didn't want it."

"Oh. Did she at least thank you for going to all that trouble?", Cyrus asked, hoping for a yes.

"No, not really. It's my fault really. I should've just bought the more expensive one", TJ sighed, scratching the back of his head. 

Cyrus stepped closer to TJ, patting his back gently.

"Well actually it's my fault. I was the one who told you which one to get." 

"Nah. Don't blame yourself underdog", TJ reassured, ruffling Cyrus' hair. "Hey erm, wanna go to The Spoon after school?"

"Aren't you gonna be doing something with Mia?", Cyrus questioned, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Nah, she's busy."

"Well in that case, then yeah sure. Shall we say 4 o'clock?"

"4 o'clock it is then", TJ agreed, smiling down at Cyrus. 

Cyrus grinned back, before turning around and walking back towards his friends, his cheeks tinted red. He returned thinking that they'd just carry on with their conversation, but they instead all just stopped, staring at him like he was a lunatic.

"What?", he exclaimed, his voice cracking.

"What do you mean 'what'?", Buffy scoffed,"you just upped and left us to talk to him!"

"You do know that 'him' has a name right?", Cyrus retaliated, annoyed at how much Buffy was overreacting. 

"Gosh", Jonah squeaked, eyes wide. He'd never seen this side of Cyrus. In fact, no one really had.

As soon as Cyrus had come out of his shell, he went right back in again. He stared at the ground, unable to look Buffy in the eye. He couldn't stand the tension.

*ring ring*  
Thank god, saved by the bell.  
~~~~~~~~~~~

Cyrus patiently sat waiting in a booth, his feet tapping the floor as he tried to pass the time. He glanced at his watch for the sixth time already, it read 4:10pm. He was getting nervous. What if TJ really was doing something with Mia and had forgotten about him?

Finally, a scruffy haired TJ burst through the door, panting and out of breath. He quickly scanned the restaurant, his body relaxing when he spotted Cyrus in the corner of a booth. 

"I'm so so sorry underdog I swear I didn't forget, time just flew by", he rambled, plonking himself down in the seat across from Cyrus. 

"Don't worry, you're only ten minutes late", Cyrus said softly, smiling at TJ. 

"Ah phew. I kinda ran all the way here. I didn't want you to think I'd ditched you or something."

You kinda did, Cyrus thought.

"Of course you didn't. I have trust in you Kippen."

"Thank god", TJ chuckled. 

"I see that you stuck to keeping your hair all natural", Cyrus pointed out, raising his eyebrows.

"Yep. And it was all because of you. You really do pay a lot of attention to people don't you?"

"I guess so. Honestly, the reason I told you it looked better was in the hopes it meant you'd keep it that way, and I'd be able to braid it and stuff."

"You really wanna braid my hair underdog?", TJ asked, intrigued. 

"Yeah. It's fluffy. Who doesn't want to style fluffy hair?"

"True. But does that mean I get to style yours then as well?"

"Erm, I guess so."

"Okay then", TJ remarked standing up, "let's go and do that then?"

"Right now?", Cyrus asked, sad he wouldn't be able to eat some baby taters.

"Yeah. I'm not hungry anyways."

TJ proceeded to grab Cyrus' arm and pull him out of the booth, dragging him out of the restaurant. He could hear Cyrus quietly whingeing about it, and honestly it was pretty cute. 

"You can be quite rough you know that?", Cyrus whined, pouting his lips.

"Well you can be quite boring", TJ replied as they started in the direction of Cyrus' house.

"At least being boring means I don't make stupid impulsive decisions like you do."

"Hey!", TJ shouted, stopping to face Cyrus, "this decision may be impulsive but it isn't stupid. I don't appreciate being insulted like that."

Cyrus thought TJ was being serious for a moment, but when he saw the babyish pout appear on his face he knew he was just being silly. 

"Oh I'm sorry", Cyrus cooed, "I didn't mean to upset you." 

"It's okay, I forgive you. But only this once."  
~~~~~~~~~

Upon entering his house, Cyrus' mother was there to greet them both with a warm welcome straightaway. Cyrus knew however that if they didn't go to his bedroom then she'd soon start telling TJ a bunch of embarrassing stories, which was the last thing he wanted. So he made sure to keep the encounter short and sweet, before leading TJ up the stairs and to his bedroom.

"Woahhh, this is a nice room you got here muffin", TJ exclaimed before plonking himself down on the bed. 

"Just making yourself at home are we?", Cyrus scolded playfully.

"Isn't that what guests are supposed to do, make their self comfortable?"

"I guess so", Cyrus said admittedly. 

"So, where do you keep all the hair stuff?", TJ asked, sitting up. 

"It's in my parents' bathroom. I'll go and get it", Cyrus replied, walking off to get the stuff. But just as he got past the door he popped his head back in saying "and no funny business mister."

"Sure thing underdog", TJ winked, earning a giggle from Cyrus. 

Cyrus soon came back bearing a largish box full of bobbles, grips and hair accessories, placing it on the bed. TJ took no time diving into it, ooeing and aweing at all the pretty clips he wanted to use in Cyrus' hair. He was like a child in a candy store. 

"Would you like to sit down?", TJ smirked as he gestured towards Cyrus' desk chair.

Cyrus glared at him momentarily, but soon went and sat down in the chair. He'd styled his hair especially for the spoon, and now it was all going to waste.

Stroking his chin, TJ picked up a handful of items from the box, bringing them over and dumping them on the desk. 

"Close your eyes", TJ spoke.

"But whyyyy?", Cyrus whined.

"Just do it, I want it to be a surprise", TJ ordered, placing his hands on Cyrus' shoulders.

"Ugh, fineee."

TJ's strategy with this was to just put things in wherever they looked good. He started by using a couple of bobbles to pull the longer parts of Cyrus' hair back into two pigtails, which not surprisingly earned a groan from him. He then used a few pretty looking clips to pin back the rest of his hair, creating a very odd but interesting look. Finally, he found a large clip with a red rose on it, and clipped it onto the base of one of the small pigtails. He swivelled Cyrus' chair round, marvelling at his work.

"Are you done yet?", Cyrus asked, growing impatient. 

"As a matter of fact I am mr grumpy pants. You can open your eyes now."

"Thank god", Cyrus replied, turning around to face the mirror. His eyes widened at the sight.

"Don't you like it?", TJ frowned, pulling at one of the pigtails.

"Erm, well. It's very different that's for sure", Cyrus half-smiled, trying not to be mean. 

"Well I for one think you look adorable", TJ teased, squeezing Cyrus' cheeks. 

"Cyrus honey, I think it's time for TJ to- Oh", Cyrus' mum said, obviously taken aback. 

"Shit", Cyrus muttered under his breath, his cheeks going red. 

"Erm, I think it's best we take TJ home now. But you might wanna get sorted out first before we leave", she finished, swiftly turning around and going downstairs. 

"Did you just swear?", TJ questioned.

"Just because I'm me, it doesn't mean I don't swear." 

"Still though, it's kinda of shocking. I mean, your name is Goodman."

"Shut up TJ" Cyrus laughed, standing up and starting to remove the clips from his hair.

"Wait no", TJ stopped him, reaching into his pocket. 

Cyrus stared at him with a questioning look. 

"I wanna get a picture of this", he added, holding the phone in front of Cyrus' face. 

"Seriously?!", Cyrus pouted.

"Yes. Now look happy."

Cyrus forced a smile, doing a thumbs up as well.

"Perfect. Now I always have something if I ever need to blackmail you", TJ smirked. 

"Yeah right. Besides, if you ever did Buffy would be on to you like a shot", Cyrus said, folding his arms. 

"Cyrus, now please!", his mother shouted from downstairs. 

"COMING", he hollered back. 

Cyrus just about managed to get the last grip out as they were coming down the stairs, his mum waiting by the door with a slightly stern look on her face. 

"Cyrus I think you'd better stay home and put dinner on. I'll take TJ on his own."

"Oh- okay", he replied, looking over to a smiling TJ. 

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Sure thing underdog."

The door closed shut, and Cyrus was left with just his thoughts again. And there he wondered how on earth would he only ever be able to carry on being best friends with this guy, but never anything more?   
~~~~~~~~~

Somehow, I actually managed to write this within 24 hours of writing the first chapter. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it. Btw, this will be a slow burn, so it's gonna be a long ride hehe


	3. Sunflower

So won't you stay for a moment?,  
so I can say   
I need you so,  
cause right now you know,  
that nothing here's new,  
and I'm obsessed with you 

~~~~~~~~~  
TJ awoke at 1am that night to the sound of his parents making a kerfuffle as they came in through the front door. This was a fairly regular occurrence, his parents doing extra hours at work, then eventually going out to eat somewhere at around 11pm before coming home and crashing on the couch. Usually he was able to drift off back to sleep pretty quickly, but for some reason then this night his heart just wouldn't settle down. Everytime he turned on his side he could hear it pounding in his ear, the sound unbearable. Even when he tried just lying on his back he could feel it pulsating in his fingers and his toes. 

Sitting up, he reached for the cup of water on his bedside table, gulping it down eagerly. He stared into the empty cup, his mind foggy as he just sat there, not moving a muscle. It was a strange feeling, as he could visualise himself getting up and refilling his drink, almost as though he were actually doing it. But then the vision stopped and he realised he hadn't gotten up at all. He felt odd, ill almost. 

Finally getting up, he tiptoed downstairs, quietly shaking his head as he saw his parents sprawled across the couch with their shoes still on. They'll be gone again in only a few hours, he thought. 

Plodding on over to the sink, he turned on the tap, his limbs floppy as he filled his cup with water. He stared out the window for a second, gazing at the moon and how bright it appeared. In a way, it actually reminded him of Cyrus, and he started to imagine his face- his chocolate brown eyes, his messy eyebrows, the mole on his cheek. It made him smile, made him feel more at ease. It wasn't that he necessarily liked liked Cyrus, he didn't think, but it was just that the boy had this special hold on him. He'd never liked another guy before, so surely he couldn't be gay, or bisexual, could he?

Taking a sip, he squinted at how it tasted of metal, wiping his lips with the back of his hand to get rid of any excess. Why he hadn't used the fridge water dispenser he really didn't know- for some reason he was just quite disorientated. Giving his head a shake, he kneeled down to get to the medicine cabinet beneath the sink. It was dark, so he had to squint to see anything. Eventually, he found the tylenol, grabbing it and shutting the cupboard doors. Popping out a couple of pills, he tilted his head back and chucked them into his mouth, before taking a large gulp of water and swallowing them both. 

Yawning loudly, he went on over to Parker, giving him a quick kiss on the head before grabbing his cup and heading on back upstairs. His head was spinning slightly as he crawled under the covers, his forehead sweaty and hot. TJ wasn't one to get ill very often, so he figured that as long as he slept well he'd be fine in the morning. Flipping his pillow over to rest his head on the cold side, he turned onto his back, taking deep breathes until he slipped back into slumber.   
~~~~~~~~~  
At 6am, TJ's alarm went off with a series of annoying beeps as per usual. Was it seriously time to get up already? He didn't even need to open his eyes and he could feel a migraine sitting there, ready to attack. Reluctantly, he rolled onto his side, eyes still shut as he reached over to turn off his alarm. But as he did so, he accidentally caught his cup of water, sending it toppling, and spilling all over his bedside table. 

"Shit shit shit", he muttered under his breath, springing up and running off to grab some toilet roll. 

Bringing back a large handful of toilet paper, he quickly pressed it onto his bedside table in the hopes that it would just soak the water up. He was just glad he hadn't put his phone on there the previous night. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he flopped onto his bed, clutching his head as he could feel the migraine more than ever. It didn't matter whether his eyes were open or closed, it still hurt like hell. 

After a few minutes of just sitting there, head in his hands, he finally managed to get himself up to wipe the rest of the water away. He felt physically sick, the dreadful pounding in his head intensifying with every move he made. There was no way he was going to school feeling like this. 

Grabbing his phone, he went to contacts and called his aunty, laying back on the bed as it dialled. 

"Hey Meg", TJ groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey TJ. Shouldn't you be getting ready for school, it's nearly 6:30?"

"Actually, I don't think I can go. I have this horrific migraine I feel like my head is gonna explode."

"Oh wow. It's not like you to feel ill. Have you got a temperature?"

"Nah, I don't think so. Just, could you please call the school to let them know I won't be in?"

"Yeah yeah of course. Do you want me to come round? I haven't got work today."

"I don't mind", TJ replied, his speech droopy.

"I'll take that as a yes. Now get back in bed, I'll be there in a bit."

"K, thanks." It hurt just to talk.

"Love you bud."

"Love you too Meg."  
~~~~~~~~  
Cyrus walked into school that morning with a smile on his face, the events of the previous night inevitably putting him in a good mood. Although he'd grumbled when TJ was styling his hair, he was secretly overwhelmed with butterflies the whole time, a raging blush battling to show the whole time. He'd never felt this way about anyone before, not even Jonah, and he knew that the more time he would spend with TJ, then the harder he'd fall. The happiness he felt when he was with TJ was indescribable- just a simple smile from the boy would lift Cyrus' spirits up instantly.

He was expecting to see Mia and TJ together as he entered the main hallway to get to his locker. Although it broke his heart a little everytime he saw them together, or TJ talked about her, all he really wanted was for his bestfriend to be happy. But he wasn't so sure that Mia was doing that- she didn't exactly give off a very friendly vibe. In fact, to him it appeared as though she'd rather be on her phone than talking with her boyfriend, which wasn't right at all. Speak of the devil, he thought, as Mia came strutting in, phone in her hand like usual. But instead of TJ following from behind, it was Kevin??

Cyrus stopped, just glaring at the pair as they made their way over towards her locker. His jaw dropped in disbelief, the anger bubbling up inside him as he watched the two heavily flirt with eachother, Mia being the main culprit. Cyrus had never felt this kind of anger before, the urge to just rip her head off so strong. How could she do that to TJ? 

Before he knew it, Cyrus was marching on over to them, fists clenched as he prepared to fight someone. But of course, as soon as he was actually standing infront of them, then his confidence quickly vanished, and he was barely able to open his mouth. 

"Yes?", Mia scoffed, eyebrows raised as she turned to face Cyrus. 

"W-where's TJ?", he stuttered.

"I don't know, and I don't care. Just because I'm his girlfriend it doesn't mean I know where he is every second of the day."

Cyrus swallowed, "Well it seems to me as though you've ditched him for Kevin. Girlfriends don't do that."

"So?", she snapped. "He doesn't own me. He's the one who didn't bother to show up today, not me. He can't just expect me to be by myself like a loner all day and mope around just cause he's not here. And anyways, I shouldn't have to explain anything to you, you're completely irrelevant. So from now on, stay out of mine and TJ's business okay?"

"Okay", he responded quietly. He couldn't even bring himself to make eye contact with the girl, she frightened him so much.

And with that, she walked off, Kevin still beside her. Cyrus sighed, scolding himself for not standing up to her more. He couldn't let TJ be treated this way, he deserved so much better. 

Just as he turned around to go back to his locker, he spotted Jonah walking towards him, a silly grin plastered on his face like usual. 

"Heyyy Cy, you okay?", Jonah chirped, patting Cyrus on the back.

"No, actually."

"Oh", Jonah replied, his face dropping. 

"Have you seen TJ anywhere, I need to talk to him?"

"No. Won't he be with Mia?"

"Please let's not talk about Mia right now."

"Okay erm, maybe he's ill?"

"Hmm. Maybe, but that's not like TJ. I just don't know where else he could be."

"Why do you need to talk to him so ba-

"I just do okay", Cyrus snapped, his patience running out.

"I'm sure he'll be somewhere Cy just take a breath okay?"

"I'm sorry for snapping. It's just I get worried when I don't know where people are, especially when it's people I care about."

"Cyrus, do you- do you maybe like TJ?", Jonah gulped. 

"What?", Cyrus gasped, his heart rate increasing. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that- not to say that it's not okay if you do. But I don't wanna assume anything either, just forget I ever said anything", Jonah rambled, scared he'd upset Cyrus in any way. 

"It's- it's fine Jonah", Cyrus replied, a little spaced out. "I'm erm, I think I'm gonna just go round to TJ's house. You know, see if he's okay."

"You mean, you're gonna skip school?", Jonah asked, shocked at Cyrus' sudden burst of rebellion.

"I guess so. I'll see you later", Cyrus replied, already walking off towards the entrance of the school. 

"Bye?", Jonah muttered, scratching the back of his head.  
~~~~~~~~~~  
"You feeling any better bud?", Meg asked as she brought a cup of tea over to TJ, who was curled up beneath blankets galore on the couch. 

"Yeah a bit thanks", he sighed, wriggling his arms out of the cocoon as he reached to take his tea. 

"I'm glad you called me to be honest. I would've just spent the day doing nothing", Meg began, plonking herself next to TJ.

"You need to get out more, maybe start looking for a boyfriend?"

Meg raised her eyebrows at this, sighing loudly. 

"I know I know, but it's too soon-

"Two years Meg. It's been two years since the breakup", TJ corrected before sipping on his tea.

"Hey, you're the only man I need in my life right now- someone to play video games with and do karaoke with until we lose our voices. That's all I need and want right now", she reassured, patting his knee.

TJ shrugged his shoulders, "If you say so." 

"And what about your love life. How's that Cyrus kid you're always going on about?", she teased.

A grin crept onto TJ's face, his cheeks tinted red. Did he really talk about him that much? 

"Honestly, I'm conflicted", TJ admitted, biting his lip.

"Over who?"

"Well you see, I've actually got a girlfriend-

"YOU HAVE?!", Meg squealed.

"Yeah, and I really like her. Like she's gorgeous, and intelligent, and always speaks her mind."

"Yeah?"

"But then there's-

*dingdong*

A confused expression appeared on both of their faces, Meg hesitantly getting up and walking over towards the door. Who on earth would be here at this time, on a school day?

Meg slowly opened the door, surprised to see a boy about 14 stood there nervously, twiddling with his thumbs. Slight panic rose to his eyes when he saw her, afraid he'd somehow gotten the wrong house.

"H-hi", he stuttered. "I'm TJ's friend, Cyrus."

Meg stood still for a moment, a little shocked to see the boy TJ had been going on and on about actually in the flesh.

"I know. Do you want to come in, TJ's just inside?", she asked, gesturing for him to go in.

Cyrus hesitated slightly, before accepting the offer and heading inside. The warmth hit him instantly, his body relaxing a little.

"Cyrus?"

Cyrus turned his head towards TJ, his heart melting a little as he saw him snuggled up like a lil baby.

"TJ", he replied, walking over towards the boy. 

"I'll erm, give you guys a little privacy", Meg smiled, heading on up the stairs.

"What are you doing here?", TJ asked, slowly getting up and walking towards Cyrus.

"I came to see if you were okay. I was worried", Cyrus replied, his bottom lip trembling as he felt the tears start to well up again. 

"Hey hey", TJ reassured, wrapping his arms around Cyrus and pulling him close. "I'm fine. You're here now, you know that I'm okay."

"I'm sorry", Cyrus quivered, digging his head into TJ's chest. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

TJ gently pulled away at his, placing his hands on Cyrus' shoulders. He couldn't understand why the boy was so upset.

"Cyrus, I'm not going to get hurt. I just had a bad migraine that's all. Don't worry about me."

Sniffling, Cyrus nodded his head, smiling at TJ as a way to say 'he was okay now'.

"Wanna hide under some blankets?", TJ grinned.

"Yeah. I'd like that very much."

TJ plonked himself in the corner of the couch, patting the place next to him as to say Cyrus could sit down.

"Come on underdog, what are you waiting for?", he added, spreading out his arms on the back of the sofa. 

Chuckling, Cyrus lowered himself into the empty space, his heart jumping a little at how close he was to his secret love. Grabbing the blankets, TJ swiftly threw them over both of them, making sure that they each had their fair share of blanket. 

He noticed that Cyrus looked a bit uncomfortable however, as he didn't really have anywhere to rest his head. 

"Lean on me."

"What?", Cyrus blushed, confused as to whether he'd heard that correctly.

"You look uncomfortable. Rest your head on me if it helps."

"Erm, o-kay."

Cyrus slowly leaned into TJ, resting his head upon his chest. He quietly breathed in TJ's scent, and boy did it smell nice. He could just imagine himself lying here forever, and never once wanting to be somewhere else. This is all he wanted and needed. TJ was all he wanted and needed.

"God I'm tired", TJ yawned, wrapping his arm around Cyrus and pulling him closer.

"Same."

"Let's just fall asleep then", he whispered, his eyes heavy with fatigue.

"Yeah", Cyrus whispered, closing his eyes and snuggling closer into TJ.

And before they knew it, they had drifted off into slumber.  
~~~~~~~~~

Heyyy guys. I really hope you’re all enjoying the story so far hehe. I’m sorry if I’m not ever very regular with my updates, as I have school which takes up a big chunk of my time. But still, I hope this is still enough to keep you going during the hiatus <3


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